Gone (and Swept Away)
by Taygeta
Summary: Post-"Gone" (10x8). What happens after Tony leaves with Ziva and Shmeil?
1. Chapter 1 - Elevators and Cars

**Gone (and Swept Away)**  
Chapter 1 - Elevators and Cars  
By Taygeta

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**Author's Note:** Possible Spoilers. Post-"Gone". What happens after Tony leaves with Ziva and Shmeil? I couldn't help but start writing this.

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All of a sudden Tony found himself swept away.

There was the literal part of it, the meeting of Shmeil Pinkas and subsequently being dragged out of the office by Shmeil and Ziva for a night out. As he rode the elevator down, hearing Shmeil relaying a story about his last trip to DC for an academic conference, Tony could only half-listen. He found himself caught in the major consequence of being swept away: he wasn't quite thinking clearly and he wasn't quite sure what to think.

His mental fuzziness was partly because Ziva was still hanging onto his arm, smiling widely at Shmeil's story and turning toward him with that same smile. He liked her closeness, the ease in which she seemed to take him away from everything.

As the elevator doors open, Shmeil said, "That Mr. Taylor had such chutzpah! I wanted to ring his neck!"

"My money would have been on you, Shmeil," Tony found himself saying, but mostly wondering why - now that they were out of the elevators - that Ziva was still hanging onto his arm and why he had no intention of letting go either.

"Mr. Taylor was then a twenty-five-year-old know-it-all who obviously knew nothing," said Shmeil raising his finger in the air for extra emphasis as they made their way through the parking lot. "And there he was making a scene as if he was king of the world...!"

As Shmeil went on about Mr. Taylor, Tony was trying to clear his mental fog. Ziva's grinning face did not help. Even though it was most likely that the intensity of her smile was amusement at his own expense for being jealous of Shmeil in the first place, Tony knew very well that any time she smiled he was a little less steady. Especially if he knew that she was smiling because of him.

The last couple days, particularly with the case they were dealing with, had worn them all down a bit, but somehow in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but get caught up in who Shmeil was and why Ziva admired him so. He didn't want to admit to his feelings of jealousy, but he couldn't help it. There was no other way to classify it. There were no quirky movie lines that he could hide behind.

As they reached Ziva's car, Tony said, "My car's over there..."

Here was the moment. He could run. He could make some excuse up.

But no, there was Shmeil.

"Can we leave your car here? Perhaps Ziva can drop you off or you can take a taxi back later? Ziva can tell you, I'm all for carpooling."

Ziva laughed, "Shmeil is quite well known for his environmentalism and advocacy for responsible driving."

"Is he now?" said Tony. "Well, I - I guess that's fine." Though the very thought of being in a car with Ziva driving had suddenly taken over his previously swept away mind. "Shmeil I take it you've had the pleasure of being in car driven by Ms. David?"

"Oh one of the best drivers I know!"

Tony was beginning to see why Ziva held this man in such high regard, and perhaps not for all the reasons she had claimed. He pretended not to see the smug smile on her face at Shmeil's reply.

As he sat in the car, in the backseat of her Mini Cooper no less, he found he had time to think while trying to avoid having his life flash before his eyes at the speed in which Ziva was driving and talking to Shmeil. Ironically of course all of his thoughts were about Ziva and being in this moment.

What had she said about Shmeil? That she told him things that she would never tell anyone else? So why had she been so adamant that he join them? Was it so that she could thoroughly make fun of him being so nosy and jealous earlier? Or was this part of this path he was beginning to see - maybe always tried not to see - post-elevator and all?

"You're awfully quiet back there," Ziva's voice broke into his thoughts.

"Guess my brain is trying to just catch up to speed with the rest of the day," he said.

"Relax, Tony, enjoy life!" said Shmeil. "Even for a man of my age, I vouch that it is - forever and always - too short."

"I wouldn't argue with you there, Shmeil," he said and something about life being too short made him look more intently at the driver who had their lives in her hands. However, it was not in the way that he usually would act toward her, layered with jokes about fearing for his life.

Watching her and the reflecting lights that swept through the vehicle and across her face, Tony was fully aware that this was the other part of "swept away" that he was feeling. He wasn't quite sure yet, what it all meant, only that it was too late to turn back now and that the slight racing of his heart had nothing to do with the car ride.


	2. Chapter 2 - Close in Translation

**Gone (and Swept Away)  
**Chapter 2 - Close in Translation  
By Taygeta

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**Author's Note**: Thank you for all the incredible love and feedback on the first chapter. I decided to just continue on with the evening. Not sure how "swept away" this story is going to go, but I hope you enjoy the journey!

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"This is Shmeil's favorite restaurant," Ziva informed Tony as they walked into an American bistro that Tony had gone to with his dad often when he was in town...whenever he actually managed to show up to dinner that was.

"Shmeil has good taste," said Tony. He had left his NCIS jacket in the car and was thankful that he had worn a suit that day, or he might not have been let in.

"That is a very nice tie, Tony," said Shmeil as they sat down.

"Why thank you, I picked it out myself last Christmas," he replied.

"Tony here likes to pride himself as being a bit of a fashionista," said Ziva as she peered at her menu.

"As being?" said Tony looking at her over his menu. He looked over at Shmeil and clarified, "More like I am."

Shmeil nodded, "Though I'm sure Ziva here has given you a tip or two."

Ziva looked at Tony with a curious expression, wondering what he would say to that.

"Yes, well, Ziva has been known to throw an - opinion or ten - about...what I wear," Tony said politely. He had really meant about everything, but he wasn't about to be rude. Not that it mattered, he was pretty sure anything negative (even in good jest) he might say would completely be lost with Shmeil.

"It says a lot you know," said Shmeil, somewhat distracted as he read his menu.

"What says a lot?" asked Tony.

"The fact that Ziva has an opinion about anything."

"Really? I've always known her to have one about...everything," Tony couldn't help but say, but was then given a strong elbow to his side in return.

Shmeil laughed, "Perhaps it might seem that way, but Ziva only provides her opinion to those she cares about. If you don't matter, you will only meet with her disdain...and silence. She has always been this way."

"Really?" said Tony, meeting Ziva's eyes. His mind flashed back to their years of mostly noisy banter. He was also suddenly aware that even their silences were never really empty. They were always weighted by something. That weighted silence was at the heart of their 'pre-elevator us', a version of events that seemed to no longer work for him now.

Ziva pursed her lips, turned away from his gaze, and said lightly, "I've always made my opinions clear, Shmeil. There are just many things that don't require my input."

After they had decided on their orders and the waiter had brought them an order of wine, Tony asked Shmeil, "So you've known Ziva here since she was three?"

"We are old family friends...on her mother's side. Her mother would bring her by my academic offices during the summers and she used to run around causing so much havoc!" he described. "I was so glad when she was old enough to read and I could hand her books to run off with. Of course, then I learned that the silence of her reading meant that I had to sit through hours of conversations about what she read after that. That havoc - I did not mind so much."

Tony nodded. Ziva always liked to read and he wondered as he sat there if her conversations with Shmeil were a part of why.

"Books were my escape," explained Ziva. "Shmeil taught me that if I always had a book in my hand, I could go anywhere...everywhere. So any time in my life where I needed to disappear, I would just find some good book and hide away."

Tony, surprised, said, "That's...kind of how I see movies."

"Are you a film connoisseur, Tony?" Shmeil asked.

Before he could answer, Ziva laughed, "I do not know anyone who has seen as many movies as Tony...if only based on how often he talks about them."

He said simply, "Yes, Shmiel, I watch a lot of movies. Sadly, there are only so many people who seem to appreciate that, let alone that about me." His mind thought briefly to the film class that Ziva took years ago.

"There is power in the story - escape - no matter if it's a book or a film," said Shmeil. "That is what I love about the arts. That is at the heart of my poetry."

"Tony, I wish you could read Shmeil's poems in their original Hebrew. They try to translate them in America, but in English so much gets lost," described Ziva.

"Is there one in English that you think is close in translation?" asked Tony.

Shmiel thought for a moment and then began, "She is not my daughter, but she is my daughter. She is light that has let me see, that I am cause for its bright flickering. And when I am gone, I will be at peace, for she will shine brightly, as a memory of me."

"Wow, that's amazing," said Tony.

"I don't think I remember ever reading that one," said Ziva. "Is it unpublished? It's beautiful."

"It's in my upcoming book which I am announcing at the conference I am attending in Seattle," he said.

"What's the poem called?" asked Tony, who had good cause to know who it was about.

"'Ziva'," he said simply.

Tony and Shmiel looked at Ziva who sat surprised.

"Shmiel...I'm - I don't know what to say," she replied. Her eyes had a slightly teary-eyed quality.

"Oh you do not need to say anything, my dear," said Shmiel reaching out to the table to pat her hand. "I grew old and let my loves past me by. Ziva, you are the closest I have to a daughter, and how better to remember that then in my art."

Tony felt a tight pull at his heart as he watched the emotions cross her face. He realized this wasn't just an evening out. Maybe Ziva had invited him out to poke fun of his jealousy all day when he had learned about Shmiel, but there was perhaps a consequence she had not intended. He was literally catching her in another light, in a life outside of their offices and their jobs, in a life that included this lovable old man who had adopted her as his own and gave her a love of books and life that he knew could never come from Eli David.

As the waiter arrived with their food, laying it out on the table, Tony found himself unable to look away from Ziva.

"Are you alright, Tony?" she asked meeting his eyes and breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah...sorry I got distracted," he said.

Her eyes spoke to him, as they often did. They flickered with curious questioning. As she turned to her salad and asked Shmeil about his food, he could read between the lines: she knew that she was the source of his distraction.

And he wondered how long it would be until she figured out that he was more than just distracted, especially since he was just beginning to figure this out himself.

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Feedback greatly appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3 - Pens and Pencils

**Gone (and Swept Away)  
**Chapter 3 - Pens and Pencils  
By Taygeta

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**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for the overwhelmingly great feedback on Chapter 2. I'm glad people like the poem and their interactions. This chapter gives you a sample of their dinner conversation.

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It was an enjoyable dinner - the food was great and the company even better. Shmiel had entertained them both with stories of his travels and of seeing Ziva grow up. Tony and Ziva hadn't kept silent either - Ziva, interjecting with facts or corrections to Shmiel's tales and Tony adding in his own stories as he was reminded of them.

"Ziva, do you remember the time you had a crush on one of my Teaching Assistants?" said Shmiel.

She sighed, "Shmiel, I was eight."

"It was the most adorable thing," said Shmiel to Tony. "She would come by my office almost every day and sit talking to Yitzhak Ben Haim for as long as his patience let him. He was the sweetest young man - just about twenty - and had a little sister the same age as Ziva, so he wouldn't get any work done. Finally he had to tell me that he didn't know what to do."

"So what did he do?" asked Tony.

"I told him that he had to talk to Ziva and let her down gently," said Shmiel. "I was not about to get myself into that mess."

"Perhaps you should have," she said. "Yitzhak Ben Haim might have been a sweet young man, but he certainly did not have a way with words."

"What did he say?" asked Tony.

"The next day after he had talked to Shmiel, I went to see Yitzhak as I had done almost all summer and he told me 'Ziva, you cannot stop by anymore' and I asked him why, to which he said, 'I just do not wish to talk to you. You are too young for me to be bothered by.'"

"Oh," said Tony, wincing, who then added another "Oh..." with more emphasis.

Shmiel laughed, "Oh, I would not give her too much pity quite yet."

Tony looked at them curiously, "What happened next?"

Ziva was silent so Shmiel took over the story, "Next thing I know as I was walking toward my office, I see Yitzhak running as fast as his feet could carry him. Behind him was Ziva, who had taken a handful of pens and pencils from my desk and was throwing them at him. I find out later - from both of them - that she had given him a look of such fury that Yitzhak began to leave...and then he realized he needed to run. I do not believe he realized he was dealing with a daughter of Mossad."

"I did not hurt him nearly as much as he hurt me," said Ziva stiffly. It had been over twenty years, but it obviously still hit a nerve. She clarified, "He was the first boy to break my heart. But he did get his wish, I never talked to him after that."

Shmiel added, "He also quit." He gave his hand a careless wave, "He was not much of an assistant anyway, but I was glad for the entertainment of his exit." He turned to Ziva and said, "What did he matter anyway? It wasn't that many years later where you began your string of boyfriends."

"I would not call it that," said Ziva who felt the need to add on the word, "...exactly."

"Well, I might," said Tony glancing at Shmiel. "Some things haven't changed."

At their mutual laughter, she replied, "You know as well as I do that I haven't had a boyfriend for...awhile."

Tony hadn't exactly known actually. He had reasoned it based on lack of evidence to the contrary. It was partly why he was curious about Shmiel before he had met him. He figured that if she was seeing someone he would know or he had hoped he would know, especially since he had made it pretty apparent that he was open to talking about anything.

Her words, however, gave him a certain sense of relief. It was the same sense of relief when he realized that Shmiel was a grandfatherly type man and not some epic international love story that would never work because of the distance. By the time his brain had come up with that potential storyline a few hours after learning about Shmiel, he had a momentary thought that perhaps he shouldn't have stayed up to watch "An Affair to Remember" the other week as well as an assortment of "James Bond" films.

He had reasoned a long time ago that there was something about Ziva that always made him want to be closer to her, not necessarily in a way that was easy to define, to categorize. He wasn't sure how much of it was because of her mysterious nature or how she didn't often let people in. It might have been that to start, but he had always truly cared about her and that was all he really understood about it all, all he was willing to let himself understand.

Something more or something less edged on territory that made him fear that he might lose her from his life. He was only ever willing to do that if he thought it was to keep her safe. That much still hadn't changed.

So what was changing?

These thoughts ran through Tony's head, but he continued on with the conversation casually, "So Ziva here has always been a heartbreaker?"

"Look at that face, how could she not be?"

Tony laughed, his eyes taking her in, "You're right. How could she not be?"

Ziva's eyes squinted a little, curiously taking in his words and assessing them for any underlying joke, but she relented silently to his compliment. She looked around suddenly and realized the restaurant was nearly empty.

"Where'd the time go?" she said, looking at her cell phone at the table. "It is nearly ten."

The waiter looked relieved to see them ask for the check. When it arrived, Tony found himself grabbing it from the table, handing his credit card back over to the waiter before Ziva and Shmiel could say anything.

"What is this?" said Shmiel.

Ziva looked surprised, "Tony, you didn't have to do that. I invited you to join us."

"Listen, I'm pretty sure the Dinozzo Family bloodline owes Shmeil here for a few drinks and I owe you for a few coffees," said Tony. He added, "And I've had a pretty enjoyable evening."

To Tony's surprise, Shmiel laughed, "It is only ten, Tony. We're just getting started!"


	4. Ch 4 - Wine Paired with a Love Story

**Gone (And Swept Away)  
**Chapter 4 - Wine Paired with a Love Story  
By Taygeta

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**Author's Note**: Thank you so much for the great feedback on Chapter 3. I hope you enjoy more of Shmeil!

* * *

"So...where to now?" said Tony as he found himself back in the back seat of Ziva's Mini Cooper. He hadn't had a night out like this in awhile - where he didn't have any clue what was going to happen next. Granted, prior nights of the "what's next? where to now?" nature were generally guys' nights out. Glancing at his companions this evening, he didn't foresee any similar hijinks.

"Well, Shmiel's flight leaves at 9am tomorrow," said Ziva. She pursed her lips thoughtfully, "Shmiel perhaps we should let Tony call it a night? I'm sure you and I will talk well into the wee hours, hardly get a dink of sleep, and we've taken enough of Tony's time for the night."

"Wink," Tony said automatically.

She frowned, "Why do I need to wink?"

Tony shook his head and sighed, "Never mind."

Tony looked at Ziva curiously. She was letting him off the hook. He wondered why. Was her aim when she invited him out that he not have a good time and, realizing that he had, made her feel the need to let him off the hook? Or had she wanted him to have good time out, but currently felt sorry for dragging him along, especially since he had just paid for dinner?

She knew him well enough. He didn't often offer to pay for things.

He was good either way...almost leaning more toward hanging out with her and Shmiel, finding out more about the Ziva he didn't often get to know or at least being entertained by one of Shmiel's stories. But if she wanted him to go - he would go. Before he could speak up, however, Shmiel had other words to say.

"Oh don't be silly my dear Ziva," said Shmiel. "Tony just paid for dinner. It was certainly much too much! And when am I going to be back in town again anytime soon to repay him? We have those nice bottles of Israeli wine I brought over to your apartment. Tony, has Ziva introduced you to Israeli wine?"

Tony found there was nothing for him to do, but reply honestly, "I can't say that she has."

"Well then," said Shmiel. "That settles it. We have such a rich history of winemaking - you must sample a glass or two!"

Ziva and Tony met eyes. It was fairly apparent neither of them had much of a choice in the structure of their evening plans.

"All right then," said Ziva starting her car. There was a sound of resignation in her voice, of hesitation. Tony wondered if she, too, was feeling the effects of not knowing where the evening would lead.

Shmeil apparently had no such issues: "Tony, by the end of tonight I guarantee you that you're going to love Israeli wine!"

"Looking forward to it," he replied. Even though he had no idea where the evening would lead, he was pretty sure it was going to be more than an appreciation of Israeli wine.

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They were seated in Ziva's living room, wine glasses in hand. Ziva had an L-shape couch set that centered around a coffee table. Shmeil and Ziva sat on one side of couches and Tony on the other. Shmeil had provided them with an extensive history about Israeli winemaking and the specific wine they were trying out. Tony looked over at Ziva who threw him an amused expression, knowing full well that it was very unlikely Tony was going to remember all these facts.

"Oh I especially love this one. It always reminds me of my Adi," said Shmiel with a reminiscing smile.

Tony took a sip of his wine, which he enjoyed despite only absorbing about half of Shmiel's details on the winemaking process. This passing comment made Tony curious since he remembered how Shmiel had said earlier that he had let his loves pass him by.

"Adi?" he asked lightly, not sure what to expect from Shmiel.

Shmiel's smile widened, "Adi Holtz. We met in France, the summer we had literature seminar in Paris in the 60s." The expression on his face was lost somewhere in time. "She was the love of my life."

Ziva looked amused, "I don't know if we should get him started on this story, Tony, he might never get to his conference in Seattle."

"Oh, I am not that bad!" he laughed.

She stifled a laugh, "Oh yes...I am so sure, Shmiel. Every time you talk about Adi Holtz I think it's quite lovely, but I do not know if I will see a new morning sun or find myself in the early hours of another evening."

"Well this sounds like a story worth telling," said Tony.

"Oh Adi is more than a story - she is many stories - and all of them worth spending time to tell."

"What happened...if you don't mind me asking?"

"We would travel everywhere together that summer - seeing the sights, traveling around Europe...on student budgets. I have never been so poor and so happy in my entire life. And oh I have lived a long life." He paused and smiled, "I remember when I first saw her. There was only about thirty of us in this seminar and the room was filled, but I noticed her. I don't see how anyone could have missed her - and out of all those men at the university how lucky I was that she noticed me back."

The joy in Shmiel's voice was evident. There was something about how he told this story that made him seem so young compared to all the other stories told.

"She was beautiful, I take it?" said Tony with a grin.

"Oh Tony you wouldn't believe. She had this beautiful brown curly hair and the bluest eyes. I would try to memorize those eyes that entire summer, but never - oh never..."

"Tell him the story about when you first asked her out," said Ziva, who obviously had heard these stories before and despite her earlier joking appeared to love them.

"You mean tried," said Shmiel. "I was so nervous. I walked up to her after the first week and tried to 'play it cool'." He laughed. "Oh if you two knew me back them, I was nowhere near the 'cool' guy. I was the book nerd with the big glasses, not quite as articulate as I am today. Though I have been seeing some of those shows and movies where nerds are apparently a cool thing. So apparently I would have - um - 'gotten all the chicks' now."

"Oh please Shmiel was a heartbreaker!" said Ziva.

"Best thing about being this old is that there are few people around to tell you - you were wrong. You two are lucky that I am an honest man."

Tony raised his glass, "I would probably believe anything you say, Shmiel."

He laughed, "Well in that case, that summer all the women wanted me but I only had eyes for Adi." He shook his head, "I am kidding...kidding! The reason Ziva mentioned that moment was that I was so nervous walking up to her that I tripped on my own two feet. I am serious, I looked down and there was nothing on the floor - no reason I should have fallen flat on my face. But there I was looking up at the prettiest girl in the whole world, and my first impression was looking like such a Schmoe."

"So what happened next?"

"She laughed - not at me, but with me, helping me up. She had the prettiest laugh - like the bells sounds of an organ," said Shmeil. "And she asked ME out."

"That's why I have always liked Adi Holtz," said Ziva. "She is a woman who knows what she wants."

Tony raised his eyebrows, "Or who she wants! Where did you guys go?"

"Just to lunch, but you never know where lunch might lead..." Shmiel said with a wink.

"Really!" said Tony.

Shmiel laughed, "No...not really. At least not with Adi. Turns out that my Adi was already someone else's Adi."

Tony felt a tug on his chest, "Oh... did you not know?"

"Not at first, but she was in a bit of a precarious family situation where it would not have been right to be with me. She told me when I tried to kiss her. There I was so nervous. We were out looking at the stars and then she announced very simple, 'I'm engaged.' Oh those words just hurt my heart." said Shmiel.

Tony thought momentarily about the time Ziva was engaged to Ray and found himself glancing at her briefly. She met his eyes, but both looked away and back to Shmiel who was still talking.

"And then she told me everything. They were family friends - everyone loved them together - and she did love him. She - she would never have stayed if she didn't also love him. She was so afraid to hurt him. Levi Brecher was a very lucky man." There was a note of wistfulness in his voice, "So there I was hopelessly in love with a woman I could never ever have."

"So what did you do?' asked Tony.

"That was easy. That was the easiest thing to understand," said Shmiel. "I enjoyed every single moment I could with her. Oh people talked, but of course nothing could happen between us. So we did exactly what I told you. We studied together...traveled together. She had impeccable French - so she spoke everywhere we were. Oh the stories I could tell when I had to rely on my own French. Oy."

"And how did things end?"

"The summer ended. I had to go back home and Adi's family had moved to England a few years before then, so that was her home. Who knows, perhaps that distance would have been too much for us if we had had a chance," said Shmiel unconvincingly. "And I - I knew I could not keep in touch with her. I would have...never moved on." He smiled, "Although I supposed after all these years...after all this time talking about her still - maybe I never really have."

Ziva linked her arm with Shmiel, "And what about all those love stories you used to tell me? The ones in your travels?"

"Those stories happened," said Shmiel with a laugh. "But I find love stories funny. You can have them while you love some else. And maybe if you do, perhaps that can be why they never seem to end the way you want them to or maybe they were all doomed from the start." He sighed, "Well...I am sad to end on such a story, but perhaps I should get some rest before my flight tomorrow."

He placed his wine glass down and as he stood up, Tony stood up too.

"Well it was nice to party with you Tony. I am learning that time with the Dinozzos are always good," said Shmiel as they shook hands.

Tony chuckled, "Well, the Dinozzos always know how to party. It was good to get to know you Shmiel."

Shmiel said good night to Ziva and then walked to Ziva's bedroom where she had insisted he take the bed.

He left Tony and Ziva sitting quietly in the living room with half-empty glasses of wine.

"So...what next?" asked Tony.

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End of Chapter! Feedback Appreciated! :)


	5. Chapter 5 - A Nap in Paris

**Gone (and Swept Away)**  
Chapter 5 - A Nap in Paris  
By Taygeta

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Author's Note: Thank you all the great feedback. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

* * *

Ziva smiled, crossing her arms while she looked at him thoughtfully, "Next? Haven't I taken enough of your time today having you meet the illustrious Shmiel?"

"Well...we could chalk that up to Shmiel taking all that time and under that math, you haven't taken much of my time at all...at least...not all by yourself," said Tony who then looked at his glass of wine. "Besides while there is still wine...there is still time."

She laughed, "Very true."

"Ziva David, did you just concede that I, Anthony Dinozzo, was right about something?"

"Perhaps I did," she said, and then smirked, "It must be the wine."

"Likely excuse," he said taking a sip. He leaned back on the couch and contemplated out loud, "So Shmiel never saw Adi again?"

"No," said Ziva shaking her head. "He kept track of her for a little while through mutual friends. And once he heard she had gotten married and had a child...I think that was all he needed to, you know, give the story a kind of finish in his mind."

Tony nodded, "And he never found someone?"

"Oh he found many someones in his day," said Ziva. "It might be hard to believe - but he was quite the ladies man, but I do not think he could ever really love anyone after he loved her. So he never married. When I met him, he was like the bachelor uncle. Always with the best Hanukkah presents and the only one who could get away with outsmarting my father. Oh the conversations those two would have. I never knew if there was be laughing or yelling." She leaned against the counter, "You know he named that poem after me, but I feel my mother was in those words too. He saw her like a daughter as well."

After a moment, Tony asked, "Do you worry about that?"

Ziva frowned, "About what?"

"That we'll live life and not end up on that track of marriage and kids?"

She reluctantly admitted, "At times...you?"

"All the time," he said.

"Really?" she said.

He laughed, "Why are you so surprised?"

"I don't know, Tony. You've changed a bit, but you're always talking about women and dating a number of women...or at least, so you make it seem."

"Okay, so maybe just all the time...lately."

Her eyebrows raised, "What changed?"

"Time? Getting older..." said Tony, more listing thoughts in his head than really having a concrete reason. Before he thought about it too fully, he said, "Being in that elevator with you..."

His eyes met Ziva's. Her features softened, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

He wanted to answer her question, but he wasn't sure what the answer was. He didn't quite know what he meant. As his eyes let himself take in her face, he knew it wasn't the wine that made him so familiar with her features - in the ways her eyes always seemed to talk to him, in the sharpness of her nose and how she scrunched up her face at times when he made a really bad joke.

Looking at her, looking at him, he wasn't sure what she wanted him to mean either.

So he deflected, "Maybe that life is short and it has no guarantees."

She looked away and nodded, "Very true."

They sat in silence for awhile, sipping wine, until Tony said suddenly, "Thank you."

She frowned, "Thank you for what?"

"For inviting me out tonight," said Tony. "I had a...great time tonight."

She smiled, "I am glad. I am glad you got to meet Shmiel. Especially since you were asking about him all day."

"Well," said Tony. "He wasn't exactly how I pictured he might be...then again, you weren't exactly charitable on the details."

"A lady always leaves more questions than answers."

"That you always do, Agent David," said Tony raising his glass. Although the glass was half-empty Tony placed it down on the table next to Ziva's glass, feeling like perhaps he had "sampled" enough wine for the night.

"You know, I wish Shmiel had told you some of the other Adi stories in detail. He has some quite happy ones of her."

He watched as Ziva curled up with a pillow on her side of the L couch.

"Oh I don't think he needed to tell them to me for me to know how much that's true," said Tony leaning back on the couch. "There was this look in his eyes, that look that made you know there was no one else in the world like her."

Ziva nodded thinking about that expression that crossed their boss' face at times, "Like how Gibbs looks when you know he is thinking of Shannon."

As Tony looked at Ziva, he wondered if it was how he looked at her at times.

Suddenly she turned to look at him, "Should I call you a cab, Tony?"

"Too much Israeli wine, Ms. David?" he asked.

She laughed, "That...and it is nearly 3 in the morning."

"What?" he said looking at his watch. "That Shmiel really can tell stories until dawn." Tony laughed, "Imagine if Shmiel ever met Ducky."

"Oh dinners would never end. We'd have to be kicked out by the manager."

"I think we almost were. Did you see how relieved that kid was when we asked for the check?"

"He must have hoped we would leave an hour before we did," she said leaning her head back sleepily on the pillow.

Sitting there watching Ziva doze off, Tony found that he didn't want the evening to end.

"So...would this cab be dropping me off by my car that I will then have to drive home?" he said. "I suppose that might not be a good idea with the wine."

She nodded, "True. Well you are more then welcome to consider the couch you're sitting on yours. I can take you home in the morning...after I drop off Shmiel to the airport."

"You sure?"

"Yes," she said. "You can be my carpool dumb-dumb..."

"Dummy?" he asked.

"Oh that makes more sense," she said with the sly smile, and he wondered if Ziva David just made a pun. He watched as she reluctantly stood up and came back shortly with a couple of blankets. She handed him one.

"Thanks."

"I'd lend you some pajamas, but I do not think you would fit my nightgown."

"Very funny," he said watching her leave again, half-wondering if she was going to be wearing a nightgown when she came back.

He took off his dress coat, gun holster, and removed his already loosened tie, placing them on the couch. He emptied his pockets of his keys, wallet, and phone - placing them on the table.

As he sank back into the couch, he suddenly realized that he was tired. It had been a long day. He had thought that after the stress of the kidnapped girl case and bringing in the creep buyer (who he had a difficult time not punching in the face), he was going to relax at home with a DVD. But then he was pulled to dinner and wine and there he was, settling in for a few hours of sleep on Ziva's couch.

When Ziva arrived back in, he noted that she looked very cute in blue pajamas and her hair pulled back with a headband.

"Are you settled in, Tony? I will turn off the light."

"All tucked in," he said.

The room went dark except for some of the apartment and street lights outside. He heard Ziva rustling about, envisioning a gun tucked underneath the pillow and something like a cell phone on the table.

In the darkness, Tony realized that while he was tired his brain was awake. He knew that if he didn't get to sleep soon, the sailor snores of Ziva lying nearby would surely keep him up all night in all the wrong ways.

He thought momentarily if Shmeil had any stories of little Ziva and how she might have gained the snore of a sailor with emphysema.

"Tony?"

He turned in the direction of the voice on the other side of the L-shape couch and felt her hand on his right arm. In the dimness of the room, he could see the longer strands of her curly hair peek out from the pillow her head was resting on.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?" he asked.

"For coming along," she said with a yawn.

He laughed softly, "Did I have a choice?"

"Well, you could have left - made a run for it - but did not."

"Well I didn't want to disappoint Shmiel," he said.

There was a moment of silence where he thought she might be smiling, "Good night Tony." Her voice was distant and fading into sleep.

Her hand still rested on his arm and he was reminded of Paris. He had thought about Paris momentarily when Shmiel had talked about Adi. He had never had a whirlwind romance there, but whenever he thought about that French metropolis, he always thought of Ziva.

Nothing had happened. They had just shared a hotel room and there was a queen-size bed. After their usual banter, they had fallen asleep just like this. Her hand on his arm after she had patted it in mock sympathy to one of his empty complaints. She had fallen asleep that way. His hand had moved over hers, initially just to move it away, but his hand remained rested over hers as he fell asleep too.

And tonight he found his left hand resting over her right, once again.

"Good night, Ziva," he said softly, as he closed his eyes, remembering Paris.

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6 - Dreaming and Awake

**Gone (and Swept Away)  
**Chapter Six - Dreaming and Awake  
by Taygeta

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thank you for all the great feedback so far!

* * *

Tony was dreaming and he didn't want to wake up.

He knew he was dreaming because it was in black and white, as if he were in one of his favorite classic films. He and Ziva were in Paris, but their clothing style looked more like 1940s "Casablanca". It was nighttime and they were standing beneath the streetlight. He was holding her close and he could feel her hand holding onto his arm tightly.

Predictably, they were looking into each other's eyes.

"I have to go," she said.

"Go? Go where?"

"I do not yet know."

His eyes took her in and he wondered where she needed to go and why she would want to go. He certainly didn't want to be anywhere else.

"Why can't you stay here?"

Her left hand reached up to touch his cheek and her lips left a lingering kiss on the side of his face. She whispered in his ear, "Because you have never been ready to ask me to..."

"But what if I'm ready now?"

And with that, he leaned down and kissed her.

* * *

He woke up, but the face he saw when he opened his eyes was not Ziva's.

He jumped back, "Shmiel? What are you...? What is going on?"

It took Tony a moment to realize where exactly he was - his memory piecing back together the night. Meeting Shmiel. Dinner with Ziva and Shmiel. Israeli wine. Crashing on Ziva's couch.

And then: Ziva's hand on his arm.

He looked around for her, but she wasn't there. Only Shmiel.

"Ziva thought that perhaps I should wake you up," said Shmiel. He laughed, "You two - you were sleeping like little babies when I woke up this morning."

Tony realized that now was his chance: "Was Ziva snoring like a sailor with emphysema?"

From the other side of the apartment he heard, "I do not snore!"

Tony silently looked over at Shmiel who gave him a wink and nod. Shmiel whispered, "Ever since she was a little girl...I do not know who she gets that from."

"I heard that!" said Ziva who emerged from the hallway in jeans and a blouse. "Tony, did you want to use the bathroom before we head to the airport?"

Tony blinked a few times trying to wake up, "Yeah, just give me a second."

When he was washing his hands, Tony looked at himself closely in the mirror. His usually clean-shaven face had a bit of a shadow. He obviously looked like he had only a few hours of sleep. He splashed water on his face and dried it with a borrowed towel.

As he helped himself to some mouthwash, somewhere in mid-swish he remembered the dream that he had emerged from.

He spat out the minty liquid and then looked at himself in the mirror - the images of the dream came back to him: the movie background, the embrace, the kiss.

"What the..."

Before he could fully formulate a thought he heard a knock on the door and Ziva's voice: "Tony, are you ready yet? We have to leave soon."

He opened the door, "Uh...yeah. I had to borrow some mouthwash - hope you don't mind."

She laughed, "Planning to kiss Shmiel good-bye, Tony?"

He glowered as he walked out with her to the living room. Grabbing his gear and tossing on his blazer, he headed out with them - helping Shmiel out with his suitcase.

"So Seattle, Shmiel?" asked Tony on the car ride to the airport. Once again, he was sitting in the backseat - this time with Shmiel's luggage for company, "You excited?"

"One of my favorite cities," said Shmiel. "I'm looking forward to it - though I wish I had been able to spend more time with you and Ziva."

"And here I thought you were visiting just me Shmiel," said Ziva.

"Jealous, Very Special Agent David?" asked Tony raising his eyebrows.

"Of you? Never."

Shmiel laughed, "Oh I am going to miss you two!"

"Well it just means that you should get yourself to DC more often," replied Tony, who was being polite, but realized that he really did mean it. He had enjoyed getting to know Shmiel and gaining insight into Ziva's life.

"I think that is a wonderful idea," said Ziva with a smile.

They arrived to the airport and Tony got out of the car with Shmiel's luggage. He reached out his hand and said, "Well it was great meeting you. I had a wonderful time 'partying'."

Shmiel shook Tony's hand, but then gave him a hug, "It was terrific meeting you. It is obvious that the Dinozzo charm is a family trait."

Ziva grabbed Shmiel's luggage and headed in with him while Tony waited by the car. As they left, Tony heard him say, "I really like him..."

Before he could think about it too much, a police officer approached, "Sir, you can't park here."

Tony pulled out his badge - this was one of the favorite parts of his job - and said, "NCIS. We have an agent inside escorting a very important person to the agency - it'll only take a second."

The police officer nodded and a few minutes later Ziva emerged.

"Ready?" she asked and he nodded.

As Ziva sped away, Tony almost wished he was sitting in the backseat where it felt safer.

"So how often do you talk to Shmiel?" asked Tony, hoping conversation would help him not fear for his life.

"Oh at least once a week or so. Much more often than I talk to my father, that's for sure," she remarked. "This was the first time I saw him in awhile though - he is mostly in Israel and I have not really been back."

There was a note in her voice that made Tony think about the past, about things they don't talk about anymore.

She laughed, "Now I'll be surprised if I have any conversation with him where he doesn't ask about you."

He gave her look, "You make that sound so terrible. Is it so bad that the illustrious Shmeil apparently has great taste in people?"

"Well..one of the things I've always loved most about Shmiel is that he is a very - kind - man." She laughed loudly at his silence, sensing the look of disdain on his face.

They arrived to the nearly empty lot at NCIS where Tony had left his car.

Ziva parked her car next to his and said, "Well here we are..."

"Yes, here we are," he said and remembered that he had his jacket in the back of the car. "My jacket..." He reached in the back to grab it and then found himself very close to Ziva David in a very small car.

He looked at her for a while, remembering the dream that he had this morning. But his brain was running through a lot of things - Shmiel's story of Adi and his stories of Ziva, the moments that they had as "post-elevator us", the moments that they had always had...

"Do you have everything, Tony?" she said softly.

"Just one more thing..."

And then he kissed her.

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7 - Speechless Conversations

**Gone (and Swept Away)  
**Chapter 7 - Speechless Conversations  
by Taygeta

* * *

**Author's Note**: Thank you so much for all the overwhelming feedback. I honestly wasn't sure where to go with this story next, but since there was such a demand for what was to come...here we go. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

There was a certain familiarity to being this close to her. It was more than just because they had kissed before - so many years before. It was more that they were always so close, as if they were dancing around an unseen space, hovering around a line neither was sure they should cross.

But here he was crossing it, afraid to pull away partly because he was not sure what was going to happen next and mostly because he didn't really want to.

After a lingering moment, he slowly pulled away, looking into her eyes - unsure of what he would find.

Her eyes were glazed with some kind of emotion, but he wasn't sure what.

Confusion? Surprise? Uncertainty?

Then again he wasn't exactly sure everything he was feeling either.

He pressed his forehead against hers, not removing his gaze from her eyes.

With her silence he found himself speaking, "Say something..."

"I - I do not know what to say. I did not even..." she faltered, and then asked the question he didn't know how to really answer, "What does this mean?"

"I don't know, I just..."

He stopped short. What could he say that he hadn't said before? He once jeopardized his entire career for her. He once told this woman under truth serum that he couldn't live without her. When he thought she was gone, his entire world just didn't seem to make quite so much sense.

And even then he had let time slip him by. He had almost let her slip from his fingertips. He almost saw her get married and, wanting - more than anything - for her to be happy, he would have let it happen.

She had almost become his own Adi story.

It was then that he realized what he had been trying to understand, what he had been trying to say for so many years. It was then that he realized why he felt so swept away.

"...I just - I love you."

Her eyes widened. He wasn't sure how it was possible for a person to become more speechless, but that's exactly what it seemed to him. Her eyes seemed to be seeking the right words and finding none.

He felt her left hand touch the side of his face. He felt his head lean into her touch without really thinking. She said softly, "Tony..."

And then she kissed him on the lips, briefly and softly, before lingering on his cheek. He felt her take a deep breath and then pull away from him.

He watched as she sat in the driver's seat collecting her thoughts and wondered if she was trying to tell him she didn't feel the same way. He readied himself for that possible fact. And maybe he had been readying himself for that possible fact all the years he had known her.

"I - I need time to think," she said staring mostly at her steering wheel. "My head is not clear and I don't know if yours is either. I mean, we're on hours of sleep and this is so sudden. Also, Shmeil has a way of making people think about life differently...and I don't want you to have said that and be confused..."

"What if I'm not confused?" he said and he tested his own confidence with the next words, "What if I really mean it?"

She turned from the steering wheel to meet his eyes again, "Then you'll still mean it when I have gathered my thoughts?"

Tony nodded. He took his jacket in his hands and opened the door. He paused and then turned back to her, "Just let me know. Thanks for the ride."

When he sat himself in the driver seat of his own car, he heard her speed away. He started the engine to the car and sat for awhile as the engine warmed. He sat replaying all the details of the last 12 hours of his life. As he thought about each detail, he could only come to one true conclusion by the time he was ready to drive home: he was really glad he had helped himself to the mouthwash.

* * *

The weekend passed by. There were no calls from the office. There were no calls from Ziva.

He had gotten an endearing email from Shmiel who was apparently fairly tech saavy and found him on social media while connected to the airplane WiFi. Shmiel wanted to let him know that he had arrived in Seattle safely and thanked him again for dinner. He said there might be an opportunity for him to be back in a few months to a conference in DC and that he would let him and Ziva know if he'd be in town.

Tony thought it best to reply back after he had talked to Ziva...whenever that was going to happen.

Tony had spent time cleaning the fish bowl, playing piano, and watching absurd French films available on streaming that made him feel better about his love life.

It was raining on Sunday evening. By then he was coming up with apologies that might make up for his behavior.

"I was too forward. I'm sorry."

"Can't blame a guy for trying?"

"I understand. I shouldn't have acted that way..."

But it always came back down to "...but I love you."

The light was fading in the day and Tony began to turn on the lights of his apartment. The sound of rain was steady all Sunday and the evening was no different. He was thinking about which takeout place he was going to order from when there was a knock at the door.

He looked in the peephole to see Ziva standing in the hall fidgeting.

He opened the door and was about say something dumb and hopefully charming when she walked right in rambling...

"I'm not sure where all of this is coming from?" she said pacing inside as he closed the door behind her. "I mean, I know you've been - different - since we were stuck in that elevator together. But...I didn't know that it was this different... that this was what was running through your head. I know that we've been growing closer - that was the only reason I asked you to join me and Shmiel. I wanted you to meet Shmiel. I only let people who I feel are the closest meet Shmiel. But I didn't know that I wanted you to meet him until I thought you weren't even going to see him and then you arrived just on time and then I thought..." She then stopped and looked at him suddenly, "Are you sure that is how you feel?"

He blinked. She had finally stopped moving enough for him to really see her. She looked as if she had hardly slept. And her hair looked a little on the wild side, down and curly and wet from the rain. She was standing with a windbreaker and a closed umbrella that was making an impressionable puddle on the floor.

He hadn't seen anyone so beautiful in his entire life.

So to answer her question, he kissed her again.

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback Appreciated.


	8. Chapter 8 - Impromptu Moments

**Gone (and Swept Away)**  
Chapter Eight - Impromptu Moments  
by Taygeta

* * *

**Author's Note**: Thank you so much for the overwhelming feedback for the last chapter. I hope this chapter continues your enjoyment of this series.

* * *

He pulled away and looked into her eyes. At her speechlessness, he placed a kiss on her forehead before he wordlessly took her umbrella and placed it in the bin by the door. He then took her jacket to put on the coat rack.

Tentatively, he took a hold of her hand, leading her to have a seat on the couch.

After awhile he asked, "Why is it so hard to believe that this is how I feel?"

"It is not that it is hard to believe - it is just that..." she sighed, and he felt her grip on his hand tighten, almost as if to assure herself that this was happening. "There are times when I thought that maybe - that possibly...you felt this way. And then..."

"And then what?"

"There was always something else or someone else," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "There were times when I thought..." Her voice trailed as she looked like she was thinking about memories that he never really saw or, maybe, pretended not to see. Her eyes returned to him with a sad smile, "But I was wrong."

He shook his head, "You weren't wrong. I think I've felt this way about you for a long time...maybe even from the first moment we met. But at first I wasn't ready and then you had someone or I had someone. And then everything that happened when I thought you died... Maybe I knew then, but it wasn't the right timing - it wasn't..."

"So what is so right about now?"

"Because I realized that the only thing stopping us is … us," he said, moving his hands to lay themselves on her shoulders. "And that 'now' is the only time we get."

"Is that what you really mean by...'post-elevator us'? Is _this_what you want 'us' to be?" Her hands moved to cup his face and she kissed him, but it wasn't just any kiss. She pulled him close to her and he held her tightly, and for this long awaited moment in time, Tony could almost swear there was nothing else in the world.

When they finally pulled apart, it took Tony awhile to find words...

Any words...

"Yes," he finally said. "This is definitely what I want 'us' to be." She laughed and he found himself automatically smiling, "What's so funny?"

"You. Me. I wish it were so easy."

"It can be."

"Tony..." she said. "We cannot just make declarations and think that everything is perfect. There are other things to consider."

He nodded, "Work?"

"Among things," she said. "But how do we even know that you and me - we would...work out?"

He looked at her and realized that there was a different line in the sand now, that she was teetering at its edge and he was asking her to step forward. But something was holding her back and a kiss that made the world disappear was only a sign, not an answer.

He wanted more than an answer; he wanted her.

"We could go on a date?" he asked, the words sounded awkward, even as he said them. "Dinner? Or did dinner with Shmiel count? I did pay, you know."

She gave his shoulder a slap, "That was not a date."

"Fine," he replied, reluctantly letting her go. "Give me...fifteen minutes." She looked at him curiously and to Tony's satisfaction, she seemed a bit sad that he did let go of her.

Tony grabbed his cell phone and walked into his kitchen and dining areas. He pressed a number he had on his favorites list for Thai Noodle down the street.

"Hey...Carl?" he asked as he opened up his wine fridge. "It's Tony."

"Oh, Tony, hey man - what's up? Should I ring in the usual?"

"Actually, make that the usual and an order of Pad Thai with Shrimp."

Carl chuckled, "You have a lady friend over?"

Carl always asked if he had a lady friend over. The answer was always no.

"Yes."

"Whoa - whoa..." said Carl. "This must be serious."

"You have - no - idea," said Tony. "I know it's raining, but if you can do a man a favor, I promise to double your tip the next time I see you...and whoever is delivering."

"You got it."

Tony hung up the phone as he grabbed a bottle of his best white wine, opening it in the kitchen and then found two glasses from his shelf. He glanced over at Ziva as he walked into his dining room, concealing the wine and the glasses. She looked at him curiously, but seemed to be content to stay put...suspiciously enough.

He set the bottle of wine and the glasses down and walked back into his kitchen for some semi-matching plates and silverware. He also snuck those past Ziva who was still eyeing him and looking at her watch.

Was she really keeping track of the time?

In the dining area, he ransacked the cupboards for some candles, finding some of his emergency stock of 99-cent store votives in random sizes which he set out by the wine. As he lit them, it occurred to him that this was either going to be cute or a disaster. He hoped she would lean toward cute...especially since he was pretty sure one of the semi-matching plates was ever so slightly chipped.

He realized that fifteen minutes might be more twenty-five and went back into the living room and said, "Care for some TV?"

Before she could answer he turned on the TV that was usually on a movie channel. The first thing they saw was a zombie face from "The Walking Dead". He glanced over at Ziva's widened eyes while he turned off the TV and said, "How about...we don't do that?"

At that point, the doorbell rang.

"Hold on," he said as he went to go open the door.

"Hey Tony," said Carl, grinning widely with a plastic bag of food. At this point, Carl peered in and waved at Ziva who slowly waved back at him. He pulled back into the hall and gave Tony a wink. "Pay me later."

"Does this mean I owe you double delivery tip and double tip the next time I see you?" said Tony.

"You got it!" said Carl with a grin as he gave him a thumbs up sign.

Tony rolled his eyes and closed the door.

He turned around to catch Ziva sniffing the air, "Is that Thai food?"

"Maybe," he said before he scurried to the dining room. He removed the food from the containers and made it look semi-elegant on two non-matching plates. He turned around to throw away the takeout containers and found himself facing Ziva.

There was a smile on her face, "Time's up."

"I get the feeling it's been up," he said as he put the boxes down on the the farther end of the table.

"I gave you a little mee-way."

"Leeway?" He realized his usual grammar correcting was probably not going to help his case and quickly said, "Never mind."

She looked at the set-up on the table said, "So...what is this?"

"This..." he said, pulling a chair out from the table for her, "This...is our first date."

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback appreciated.


	9. Chapter 9 - First Date

**Gone (and Swept Away)**  
Chapter 9 - First Date**  
**by Taygeta

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for the feedback! You all are awesome.

* * *

Ziva softly laughed as she sat down, "Okay then..."

"Okay?" he asked glancing at her as he took a seat.

"Well," she said. "I cannot let all this food go to waste...especially since you ordered my favorite."

Tony silently thanked whatever higher being for all the late work night food runs in the past few years for providing him with the knowledge that Ziva David was a big fan of Pad Thai with Shrimp.

"So...that man earlier - the one who delivered the food - a friend of yours?" she asked as she placed some Pad Thai onto her plate while also helping herself to his order of Pad See Ew.

"Carl?"

"First name basis I see?"

"Oh we go way back," he said. "His family owns my number one Thai food ordering place down the street."

"So was he doing you a favor or was this already planned?"

He squinted as he looked at her, wondering if he should steer toward honesty or white lies.

"Favor," he admitted.

"The truth, Tony - what movie assisted you with this?" she said as she took a bite of food. She observed him as she chewed.

He began to enter into "playful, cute, yet defensive mode" before he realized there was no escaping the accusation. If this went where he was hoping, they'd come across it somehow. "A little dash of 'How I Met Your Mother' and some 'Two Weeks Notice'...with a little bit of Dinozzo creativity."

He watched as she smiled and then laid her hand on his resting on the table. She replied, "It's really sweet. I don't quite remember the last time I had someone do something so nice for me."

Tony couldn't help but smile with a little bit of self-satisfaction, "I'm glad you're enjoying our first date."

"Hmm..." she said, "So far..."

"...so far," he added.

"So how does a first date between us work out?" she asked. "I mean, you've already met Shmiel and my father isn't your biggest fan. Some might argue we're almost married."

She said these words lightly, but Tony also knew that part of the reason why this was complicated was because she had to be worth that possibility, worth the possibility of changing everything.

"Some might," he said thinking of the long list he might have to add for that argument - sacrifices they've both made, how much his father would love it if Ziva was his daughter-in-law - but he turned away from this list. "But those ideas are based on a Tony and a Ziva that have never dated...and now we are on a date..."

"You are making this up as you go along...yes?"

"Yeah," he said taking a bite of food.

She laughed, "So we should ask each other the silly things that are asked on a first date, no? Is that not how it goes? The positive questions - favorite colors, best childhood memory?"

"Blue. Movies with my mother."

"Movies? Plural?"

He leaned in and looked at her, knowing that she knew his answer before he even had to say, "All of them."

"Green," she replied and, before she said her memory, he knew it too. "Tali - singing."

"Puccini?"

"Everything." She pursed her lips, "Perhaps first date questions are waste of time, then?"

He shook his head, "No time with you is a waste of time."

They continued to go back and forth with questions, but found that they knew more about each other than they realized...at least in "the basics" kind of way. Tony supposed that when you add on the layers of already knowing that "you're willing to die for one another," knowledge of favorite color didn't quite seem so important.

When they finished dinner, Ziva said, "Well I suppose I should head home. It's getting late...and there's work tomorrow."

And almost like clockwork, Tony's cell phone rang.

"Sorry," he said.

Tony stood up to grab it from where it was in the living room. It was Gibbs.

"Boss?"

"Dead Marine found at General Abrams' party tonight."

"Gotcha."

The moment he hung up the phone, Ziva's phone rang and she emerged from the dining room.

She raised her eyebrows as she answered, "Gibbs?"

"Dead Marine found at General Abrams' party tonight."

"I'll be in soon."

Ziva and Tony looked at each other. Tony wondered if this was a sign, a reminder of something they would have to live with if they were to go forward with whatever force of nature was pushing him toward falling in love with Ziva.

Wordlessly, they walked over to the door and he helped her put on her jacket.

Before he could say anything, she kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you for dinner."

He smiled, "Thank Carl - I haven't paid him yet."

She let the joke slide and said, "This was nice." And then she stepped into his arms and held him tightly. They stood like this for awhile, knowing that they would have to pull apart.

Finally, he whispered, "See you soon?"

He could feel her head nodding against his chest.

When she left, there was an emptiness that Tony couldn't describe. Maybe it was that he already missed her. Maybe it was knowing that he was going to have to head into the office and pretend none of this had ever happened, that when he saw her again it was supposed to be "Tony and Ziva have never dated."

But now they had.

One date. First date. First kisses.

And that was enough, enough for him to want so much more.

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback appreciated!


	10. Chapter 10 - Interview

**Gone (and Swept Away)**_  
_Chapter 10 - Interview**  
**by Taygeta

* * *

**Author's Note**: Thank you for the great feedback! I hope you'll find this one interesting :)

* * *

"Took you long enough, Tony," said Gibbs when Tony rushed in.

He glanced over Gibbs' shoulder to see McGee and Ziva standing there. His eyes lingered on Ziva as he wondered how she had managed to get into the office so quickly. She had even managed to have a change of outfit.

"Uh...sorry, Boss," he said as he grabbed his backpack from his desk.

They headed out on the elevator as Gibbs gave them the rundown.

"Initial accounts seem to suggest that General Abrams may have known or be related to the Marine, but we won't know more until we get there."

"Where'd they find him, Boss?" asked Tony.

"Catering staff opened the wrong door."

Tony winced, "That's probably not what they were looking for."

As the stood in the elevator, Tony started to feeling a bit self-conscious. Everyone was so close...especially a specific Special Agent he had technically just gone on a first date with. Ziva, meanwhile, looked utterly professional.

During the car ride to General Abrams', Tony found himself profusely chatty...more than usual. It might have been because somehow McGee was driving and he had to sit next to Ziva.

"So, McGee, what were you up to over the weekend?"

"Lucky for me, my laser tag game ended two hours before Gibbs called," said McGee. He added proudly, "Highest score I've ever had."

Ziva laughed, "Why McGee that's wonderful."

"Laser tag?" said Tony.

"Oh, were you doing anything better earlier?" said McGee.

At the question, Tony glanced at Ziva who looked amused but kept on staring in front of her. Finally she broke the silence, "What were you doing Tony?'

"I was - um - enjoying a good dinner," he replied. He couldn't help but add, "You, Ziva?"

She looked at him sharply, but turned to McGee with a smile, "I was having dinner as well."

"Lucky," said McGee being none the wiser. "I'm starving, but maybe it's a good thing - you never know where the crime scene is going to take you...or your stomach."

* * *

The rain was starting to come down again as they walked into the General's house. At the rain, Ziva had a look on her face that Tony noticed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Umbrella," she said. "I...forgot it."

"Well hopefully the rain lets up by the time we get back," said McGee, chiming in.

"Yeah, hopefully," she replied glancing at Tony, who knew full well *where* she had forgotten the umbrella.

"Details, Ducky?" asked Gibbs. The body of the Marine was on the kitchen floor with Ducky and Jimmy beside him.

"I place time of death to about 10 hours ago," said Ducky. "Stab wounds. Sometimes I think those are the wounds that haunt me the most - to know that someone struck another so violently."

"Tony, check out where the body was found. See if you can find anything. Ziva, McGee - lots of people to talk to," said Gibbs. "Let's start with the catering staff. I'll start with the General."

Tony walked away from the team, glad to be tasked with something that let him be in his thoughts for a second. He wondered if this was how things were going to be, the slight awkward feeling he felt in his stomach. He was so used to just rambling away and now he couldn't ramble away - not without possibly revealing...

...Revealing what really? Were he and Ziva...dating? Was that it? After all, one date didn't mean "dating". It just meant one date and just because he wanted something more...didn't mean she did. She hadn't said the same quite yet.

Tony shook his head and with the evidence kit began to review the closet where the body had been found. It was obvious that the stabbing hadn't occurred in the supply closet - everything was too neat. There was trace amounts of blood from the body, but nothing to indicate more than emphasizing that the Marine had been killed somewhere else. Dusting for prints seemed like a wash given the amount of people who had access and the catering staff.

Tony walked back over to Gibbs as he was finished interviewing General Abrams.

"Find anything?" asked Gibbs.

Tony shook his head, "No Boss. My best guess is that he was killed somewhere else and whoever did it moved him there...had to be pretty strong - he was a pretty big guy. Do we have a good idea who he is?"

"Lieutenant Allen Abrams," said Gibbs.

Tony wrinkled his forehead, "Relation?"

"Nephew," said Gibbs. "He was on leave from the USS Baker - surprised the General two days ago - with his arrival."

"Didn't expect him?"

"Said they were close, but he hadn't mentioned he would be on leave."

"Sounds suspicious..."

"You think?" said Gibbs. "Ziva and McGee are still interviewing the catering staff. They were here most of the day, so maybe they might have seen something. We should get started on interviewing some of the family."

Tony nodded. He approached two women, one of whom looked like the wife of the General and an older woman. The General's wife looked upset and the older woman seemed to be trying to calm her down.

"Excuse me," said Tony. "I'm Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo and I'm sorry to have to interrupt at this time, but I need to ask you two some questions."

"Of course," the General's wife nodded.

"Can I have your names please?"

"I'm General Abrams' wife," she said. "Nancy Smith Abrams. Allen is...was...my nephew from Harold's side of the family. Oh, I'm sorry...this is my neighbor and dear friend who just happened to be here for the party. You probably don't need to ask her any questions."

"It's all right, dear. I was here for the party as well, Agent Dinozzo, so I am sure you might have questions for me. But I'm quite sure I won't be much help."

"And your name?" asked Tony turning to the older woman who had her hand on Mrs. Abrams' shoulder.

"Mrs. Adi Brecher," she said with a kind smile.

The name made Tony look at her more carefully, catching the blueness of her eyes, a blueness that told him he had to ask: "Adi Brecher? You know, I'm sure this is a strange question, but...your maiden name wouldn't happen to be Holtz?"

Adi looked at him with a confused smile, "Why yes...how did you know?

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback appreciated!


	11. Chapter 11 - Lessons on the Job

**Gone (and Swept Away)  
**Chapter 11 - Lessons on the Job  
By Taygeta

* * *

**Author's Note**: It's a holiday weekend so I managed to get another chapter out! :)

* * *

At her question, Tony wasn't sure what to say. He didn't want to reveal that it was Shmiel that told him about her and he wasn't 100% sure that this Adi Holtz Brecher was THE Adi Holtz. Not to mention, they were in the middle of a murder investigation.

So he lied.

"A friend of mine was telling me about his historical lineage - a long...long line of Holtz-Brechers. You wouldn't happen to be a part of that?"

Adi shook her head and said, "Oh no...my late husband was Levi Brecher. I took his last name when we were married, but no long lineage of Holtz-Brechers as far as I know."

Tony nodded and then continued, "I'm sorry for that..."

He proceeded to interview Mrs. Abrams and Adi. Mrs. Abrams had left much of the kitchen tasks to the catering staff, only checking briefly with the head caterer. For the most part, she had been near the door to greet people coming in. Adi had arrived at the party at the start, in case she needed to assist Mrs. Abrams in anyway, but had mostly stayed talking to fellow invited neighbors in the main room where the party was held. Neither had noticed Lt. Abrams' absence at the party.

"The last time I remember seeing him was last night. The general and I were in the sitting room and I was reviewing the guest list with him. Allen had arrived to let us know he wasn't feeling very well and that he was turning in early. We told him to rest up and that we hoped he would feel better by the party. That was maybe at 9 or 10?"

"You didn't get concerned when you didn't see him at the party?"

"Well, I know it sounds terrible, but I hardly noticed when the party was going on - there was all the guests and making sure the food was coming through at the right time...and when it seemed like catering was going on without any problems, I hardly thought about the kitchen until...until..." Mrs. Abrams trailed off, choking up at the thought that she hadn't even considered not seeing her nephew at the party.

"It's okay, Mrs. Abrams. It happens," said Tony. "You couldn't have known. Did the Lieutenant have any enemies? Anyone in the house...family...friends?"

Mrs. Abrams shook her head, "To tell you the truth, Agent Dinozzo, Allen always seemed like the nicest person. He lost his parents at an early age, so my husband and I tried to help raise him when his grandmother had custody. He followed in my husband's footsteps by joining in the service. I wouldn't know Allen to have any enemies."

He nodded, "Well thank you for your help...both of you." He handed them his card in case they had any further questions and let them know he'd follow up if he had any additional questions.

After he thanked them, he met up with Ziva who was interviewing the last of the catering staff.

"Well thank you, we'll be in contact," she concluded. She looked up to see Tony.

"Any good info?" he asked.

She shook her head, "No one seems to know anything. You?"

"More or less the same...but I may know something pretty big that has nothing to do with this case."

She frowned, "What are you talking about, Tony?"

He leaned in toward her ear, "Do you see that woman next to Mrs. Abrams?"

She glanced at him and then at the direction of Mrs. Abrams, "Yes. What about her?"

"Adi Brecher."

Ziva turned her head slowly to meet his eyes, "*Brecher*? Blue eyes?"

"The bluest of blue."

"It doesn't mean..."

"I asked her her maiden name."

She observed Adi some more and said, "It can't be..."

"Holtz."

She turned her eyes back to him, "What are the odds?"

Tony shrugged.

"Do you think it is her?" At that point, Adi noticed that they were staring. Ziva turned her back from them, looking away quickly.

"Possibly? Background check later?"

Ziva nodded, "Oh definitely."

"Ziva, Tony?" said Gibbs.

They both turned to look at him.

"Let's go...?" His tone was slightly annoyed, as if he may have said it while they were talking.

They followed him and McGee out of the house, at which point Tony thought he saw something glinting in Gibbs' eyes...a look that he hadn't quite recognized before. He met his eyes and Gibbs looked away sternly.

Tony's head spun slightly. Could Gibbs already know or suspect? And if he did suspect something, what...?

"You okay, Tony?" he heard Ziva's voice say.

He met her eyes for a moment, wondering if they communicated any kind of panic, but looking at her he couldn't help but feel calm somehow. He said, "Yeah...I'm fine."

* * *

After a long night and day of sorting through interviews and initial evidence, Tony found that it had grown dark outside - from both the approach of night and possibly the continuation of the storm.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat," said McGee as he stared groggily at his computer.

They had all had taken random naps throughout the day, but nothing much besides that. The first 24-48 hours were the most critical after the discovery of the body and a recent crime, but their efforts didn't appear to show up anything fruitful.

"I'm beginning to wonder how the nicest, most innocuous guy in the world ended up getting murdered," said Tony, seeing as how they didn't seem to have any trace of the lieutenant having any enemies.

"I do not think we have ever had a more innocent and enemy-free victim," said Ziva exasperatingly.

"Alright folks," said Gibbs walking in. "We're calling it a night. Let's get in bright and early tomorrow."

McGee automatically reached to lock his computer and headed out. Gibbs soon followed as Tony and Ziva were packing their things.

Hearing the elevator door closed, Ziva looked at Tony.

"Adi?"

"I ran a check along with everyone else at the party," he said as she walked over to this desk. "Completely legit."

She leaned her head over his shoulder to look at his computer. He turned to see her face, so close and yet...so far. She smiled softly at his glance, but said with more emphasis, "Adi?"

He turned his head back to the computer and said, "Adi...Holtz Brecher. Moved from England several decades ago with her husband Levi Brecher. Levi Brecher passed away about ten years ago in his sleep having served as a financial expert for the Navy and retired about ten years before that. Adi Holtz Brecher was born and grew up in Tel Aviv, moving to England when she was in high school. After high school, she attended Oxford...including a student visa and credit for a course in Paris...during the 60s."

"Huh...it is actually...Shmiel's Adi Holtz," said Ziva. "I wish I had talked to her for a moment, to see what Shmiel saw."

"Well, we are having an ongoing investigation," said Tony.

"Oh Tony, even if we did break protocol a bit, I don't know if I can really talk to her...not without Shmiel knowing."

"Look, I love Shmiel, but what does he need to know? What if you talking to her means that maybe she and Shmiel might have a couple of years together?"

He liked how she smiled when he said that he loved Shmiel.

"Shmiel talks about her all the time, but maybe it's because it's a nice memory. Maybe he wouldn't want her to know that he talks about her or...would want to see her again."

"The way he talked about her Ziva? I somehow doubt that," said Tony and he knew by the expression on her face that she believed the same. He eyed her curiously, "Are you afraid, Ziva?"

"Of what?" she asked, looking at him defensively.

"That we'll hear a side of her story that Shmiel has never told you?"

Her face softened and she took a deep breath, "Perhaps."

"Well," said Tony turning off his monitor, "We don't have to talk to her right now. You can think about it and we should both go home?"

She nodded.

Grabbing their things, they headed into the elevator. The door closed and Tony felt Ziva's hand slip into his.

He looked at her with a smile and felt his hand automatically squeeze her fingers. He could get used to 'this elevator us'.

They let go as the elevator doors opened, greeted to the sound of rain and wind in the parking garage.

"And of course my umbrella is at your apartment, I suppose I will just have to make a run for it when I park."

"I'll get it for you tomorrow," he replied as he walked her to her car.

"You did not have to walk me to my car, Tony," she said. But there was a smile with her words that made Tony glad that he did.

"Well, I kind of feel like if we did have our date that technically ended hours and hours ago, it should have ended with me walking you to your car. And so...here we are."

They stood looking at each other for a moment.

Finally Ziva said, "Good night, Tony."

"Good night, Ziva."

He watched as she was about to turn around to her and then he saw her turn quickly back and felt a kiss on his cheek. He found his arms wrapping themselves around her...hoping that there was no one around to watch. It certainly felt like they were the only two people in the world.

He heard her whisper, "I had a great time on our date by the way."

"Me too," he whispered back, and then she let go and got into her car.

He walked to his car in somewhat of a daze. He wasn't sure if it was the need for sleep and rest or the certain headiness that Ziva's closeness left him in, but he certainly still felt a bit swept away by the events of the past day or so. As he sat himself in his car, he couldn't help but think that with the recent discovery of Adi Holtz and Ziva not seeming to run away from him, there was so much more to come.

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback appreciated!


	12. Chapter 12 - Connections

**Gone (and Swept Away)**  
_Chapter 12 - Connections_  
by Taygeta

A few days after the discovery of Lieutenant Allen Abrams' body, Ducky and Abby's work managed to reveal a breakthrough in the case. The team was standing in Abby's lab as they went through the evidence.

"Initially it appeared as if the wounds that were present on the lieutenant's body were made by a standard knife that we would find most difficult to isolate and identify," said Ducky.

"But Ducky noted that there was some trace residue," said Abby as she typed on her computer, bringing up views of the test that she ran. "I ran an analysis and it's the kind of chemical used in polish that is specialized for antiques."

"Search warrant for the Admiral's house, Boss?" asked Tony taking out his cell phone.

Gibbs nodded as they headed out of the lab, "Let's just hope whatever was used is still there..."

* * *

The agents combed the Admiral's house for the murder weapon, collecting a number of possible items from the house. Ziva and Tony stood talking to the Admiral and Mrs. Abrams.

"Well like I said, I keep all my antique weapons in the study, but always under lock-and-key," said the Admiral.

"Well who else has access to the key?" asked Tony.

"I'm the only one with access," said the Admiral.

"But it's not like someone couldn't have taken your keys, dear," said Mrs. Abrams. She sighed, "Everyone on staff knows where he leaves them, but our staff has been with us for years. We trust everyone."

"Anyone new on staff? Anyone who knew Allen well?" asked Ziva.

"We haven't had to get a new staff member in years. Everyone on staff knew Allen," said the Admiral. "He would run around here during the summers when he was a kid. Everyone loves...I mean, everyone loved him."

Tony could tell by the Admiral's words that he was trying his best not to choke up. Mrs. Abrams affectionately patted her husband's arm.

Ziva and Tony glanced at each other.

"Well we're going to have to talk to everyone who has access to those weapons..." said Ziva.

"You don't really think it was anyone in the house or that someone took something from the collection?" asked the Admiral.

Tony shook his head, "We're just trying to follow all possible leads, sir."

He nodded, "Of course."

At that moment Adi Brecher walked in.

Ziva and Tony glanced at each other.

"Adi," said Mrs. Abrams. "What are you doing here?"

"I - I heard that the agents were back," said Adi.

Tony squinted as she assessed Adi's face. She appeared flushed and worried.

"Is everything okay...Mrs. Brecher?"

"Oh, please, just call me Adi."

Ziva gave her a terse smile, "Are you okay...Adi? Shall we get you a seat?"

They walked Adi to the sitting room. Ziva sat beside her and Tony knelt down next to her. The Abrams had been asked to remain outside.

"Adi, this is Special Agent Ziva David, my...one of my partners," introduced Tony. "Is there something you would like to tell us?"

"David?" said Adi, surprised. "Are you Jewish?"

"Yes, I am."

"...and that accent, are you from...?"

"Yes, I am from Israel," said Ziva with a smile.

"I have only returned there occasionally in my years," said Adi. "I left when I was just a girl - before I was a young woman just getting ready to be out and about in the world." With her words, she slipped her hands into Ziva's, giving them a squeeze.

"Well we have plenty of time to reminisce...perhaps you should tell us what is wrong?" said Ziva carefully.

As Tony watched this exchange, he wondered what was going on in Ziva's head. There she was, holding hands with the famous Adi Holtz Brecher of illustrious Shmiel Pinkhas stories' fame, as if she was just another person to interview in yet another case.

This, of course, was not the case at all.

Adi looked up at Tony and said, "I'm afraid, Agent Dinozzo, that I was not quite...forthright...in my initial discussions with you about Allen."

"We understand. This happens sometimes - that's why we always try to double check...or people come forward when they see fit," said Tony.

"So what is it? What do you know?" asked Ziva.

Adi looked at Ziva directly in the eyes and said, "I am the reason Allen is dead."

* * *

"Where is she?" asked Gibbs as he saw Ziva and Tony walking into the room.

"Conference room," said Ziva. "We didn't think it was appropriate to put her in interrogation."

"Well...yeah," said Gibbs succinctly. "So she hasn't said anything yet?"

"Well, Boss, the moment she said that she was the reason for his death, she sort of just broke down," said Tony. "We asked if she wanted to come with us, hoping that getting out of the Abrams' house would make her feel better and tell us her story a little more coherently."

"So what do we know about Adi Brecher?" asked Gibbs.

Tony glanced at Ziva for a lead. She looked away. Tony took that as a sign to just stick to the basics. He pulled up the background check information that he initially ran.

"Adi...Holtz Brecher. Grew up in Tel Aviv until she was in high school and her family moved to England. Many several decades ago, she arrived in America with her husband Levi Brecher. The late Levi Brecher passed away about ten years ago in his sleep having served as a financial expert for the Navy and retired about ten years before that," said Tony, thinking it also best to leave out the detail that she had been in a summer romance in Paris, France in the 60s.

"What is her connection to the Abrams?"

"As far as we know, just that she was good friends with the Abrams, been neighbors for years, and must have known the Lieutenant his whole life," said Ziva.

"Do you see her as a suspect, Boss?" asked McGee.

Ziva and Tony threw McGee death stares. In their heads was an alarm that sounded like Shmiel saying, "Not Adi Holtz!"

McGee said defensively, "What? It's a valid question."

Tony gave him one last dirty look before looking at Gibbs, "I'd like to note, Boss, that she said she was the reason for his death, but not necessarily the person who killed him."

Ziva added, "There is no way that she is a suspect."

Gibbs raised his eyebrows, "You two seem so certain about this."

"We are," said Ziva nodding for emphasis. "Gut feeling."

"Well, then you two take charge. Find out what she knows," said Gibbs, leaning back on his chair and taking a sip of coffee.

"Got it, Boss," said Tony.

* * *

"I am so sorry to be like this," said Adi when Ziva and Tony sat back down with her in the conference room. "I am usually not like this - but, I can't help but believe that the Lieutenant is no longer with us because of me."

Ziva smiled and rested her hand over Adi's, "Now, Adi, why do you think that?"

"I had a son, Agent David," said Adi. "He was also named Levi, after his father. And like my husband, he is no longer with us."

"What happened to your son?" asked Tony.

Adi took a deep breath and said, "He was under the command of now Captain Harris Gomez - when an event caused him to go overboard on the ship. They called it an accident."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Ziva squinted, "As am I, but, to clarify, is that the same commanding officer as Lieutenant Abrams?"

Adi nodded, "My son was a Corporal when Captain Gomez was a Sergeant."

"...and you think Captain Gomez is involved in this?"

"I...told Allen what had happened with my son. I was inclined to believe the Navy's report, but I wanted Allen to be aware...to be safe when I heard who was his commanding officer," Adi wrung the kleenex she held in her hands. "Little good that did him."

"Well, Adi, you don't know for sure that Captain Gomez had any involvement in this?"

"I don't know for sure either way..."

"Adi, we will bring in Captain Gomez and we will talk with him. Why don't we send you home and you can just relax and let us know if anything else comes to mind?" said Tony.

Adi nodded, "Would I be able to visit the Abrams? They are the only family I have now."

Ziva said, "Perhaps it is best if you keep a low profile while the investigation is going on. We do not want the Admiral to be making any unofficial inquiries."

She nodded, "Yes - I understand." Adi looked up at Ziva and Tony with a smile, "I do miss having someone in my life - you two are very lucky."

Ziva glanced at Tony and said, "We are...very lucky to have a family here."

Adi raised her eyebrows as she stood. With a smile, she said, "That is not what i meant..."

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback appreciated!


	13. Chapter 13 - Working Through

**Gone (and Swept Away)**  
Chapter 13 - Working Through  
By Taygeta

* * *

Author's Note: My sincere apologies for such a belated chapter update. Life is insane, but I do remember you lovely readers and this lovely story. Here's a little morsel until I have time to really work on this some more! You readers are awesome and I appreciate every last one of you.

* * *

It would be several days before they could get Captain Gomez into the interrogation room. To Ziva and Tony's disappointment, Adi had given them - at most - a possible lead, but it was fairly apparent that the Abrams' murderer couldn't have been the Captain. He had been on a naval vessel for the past few weeks, completely accounted for while Abrams had been on shore leave.

But Adi had also given them something else in her lead, something unexpected: some time to spend together while they waited for Captain Gomez's arrival...because all other leads seemed to lead to nowhere.

"This case is really bothering me, Tony," said Ziva.

He glanced over her and said, "Do we really have to talk about work?"

They were in Tony's apartment. As per usual, a movie was playing on the TV. As per not usual, Ziva was there, seated - very closely - next to him.

It was after work and Tony had invited her over. It had become a semi-regular thing Tony inviting her over. Though, Tony wasn't sure what it meant that she was sitting next to him while a movie played...were they "dating"? Looking back on the years, it was difficult to tell what counted and didn't count.

She placed her hand over his, "I am sorry, Tony. I should not discuss work while we are..."

He raised his eyebrows, "Are...?"

"Enjoying a movie," she said even though he knew she was only half paying attention to it and he had seen it a few million times so he hadn't been too attentive either. Her eyes lingered with his and then to his surprise, she leaned in to give him a quick kiss.

"And...what was that for?"

"I - It...just felt right."

He grinned widely, "I like that answer."

Their eyes lingered for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Ziva looked away, but pulled herself closer to him and he held her tightly.

"I am sorry if I am not paying attention to this movie," she confessed.

"Oh, I wouldn't be...I far like this alternative much better," he replied. "Much...much better."

She smiled and said softly, "Do you think we should tell Shmiel? About Adi?"

"I really want to, but the cop in me thinks we should wait."

"Hmm...and the assassin in me thinks that is sound reasoning."

Tony smiled, "I'm glad that we can agree on things...from very interesting perspectives."

Ziva looked up at him, "And I am glad that we work well together."

Not looking away, he said, "Do we now...?"

"For now."

Tony's eyes lingered before he gave her a kiss on the top of her head. He wasn't sure where this was going, but he didn't mind so long as it meant she was going to be right there next to him.

* * *

The team watched from behind the glass at Captain Gomez sitting in the interrogation room.

"You think he's involved?" asked McGee.

"Probie, I think even if he isn't - he's the only lead we have," replied Tony. "Gibbs is gonna wring out the truth from him...one-two punch...two-three-four boom...bam...ba-da-bing! He's gonna throw in the towel!"

McGee and Ziva looked at Tony with confused faces.

"Ba-da...what?" asked Ziva.

"I think you went a little much on the layered metaphors and references..." said McGee. "Even more so than usual."

"Look, I'm just tired. I feel like we're running around in a hamster wheel."

"Well what about Adi? Are we sure she doesn't have to do with any of this?"

Ziva and Tony looked at McGee, "No."

"Why are you guys so sure?"

"Why are you so quick to pinpoint things on an old woman?" countered Tony.

"I'm just making sure we dot our 'i's' and cross our 't's' - you guys don't have to rip my head off for it," said McGee.

They quickly shut up as Gibbs walked into the interrogation room.

"Captain Gomez. I'm Special Agent Gibbs."

"I would say it's nice to meet you Agent Gibbs, but I don't take kindly from being pulled off my ship to be interrogated by NCIS. I'm not sure why I'm here or what this has to do with me."

"Well I'm sure by now that you've heard of Lieutenant Abrams?"

Captain Gomez nodded, "Tragic. Nice kid."

"Was he now?"

"Yeah. Didn't cause any trouble. Took orders. Did his job."

"You guys close?"

"You spend enough time with someone on board a ship, you get to know a lot about people. I wouldn't say we were best friends, but I knew him."

"And what kind of guy would you say he was?"

"He was that kind of quiet guy that don't really notice until you'd just be joking around with everyone else and he'd throw in the most hilarious joke in the room. A real thinker type. Everyone liked him. So I appreciated him being around - a good laugh, a drink - but nothing more than that in terms of being friends."

"What can you tell me about his shore leave?"

"He wanted to surprise his uncle, hadn't taken shore leave in awhile. Like I said - good kid, so no one argued that he shouldn't have gone on shore." Captain Gomez paused and said, "Kinda wish someone had - maybe he'd still be around."

"Did the Lieutenant have any enemies?"

The captain shook his head, "Like I said, he was a kind of quiet guy. Not the type to make fights or cause trouble. Though he was acting a bit weird before he left..."

"Weird?"

"Distracted, I guess? Not sure about what..." trailed Captain Gomez. "Look - I don't know what this has to do with me?"

"Well, there was an incident in your past that was brought to our attention?"

"My past...?"

"Do you remember a Corporal Levi Brecher?"

The captain's easy demeanor darkened and he sat up straighter. "Look, I don't see what that has to do with this."

"Deaths in mysterious circumstances, Captain."

"Yes, but Brecher's death was ruled as an accident. I was absolved from any wrong doing - I wasn't around when Brecher fell overboard to do anything. And just like the Brechers, I feel for Abrams and the Abrams family, but I had nothing to do with the Lieutenant's death. I wasn't even here."

Ziva wrinkled her eyebrows, "I don't believe him."

"What gave him away?" asked McGee.

"A little too...rehearsed."

"Well, you definitely weren't here to shoot the gun yourself."

The captain wrinkled his eyebrows, "Gun?"

"Yeah...gun, tried to make it look like a suicide."

"Oh," said the captain.

"...and that is what we call a major tell," said Tony.

"We haven't released the details on the stabbings," said McGee. "Seems somehow Captain Gomez knew about them."

"Well," said Gibbs. "Looks to me like we should be letting you go. Thanks for taking the time to come down to talk to us. Let us know if anything new comes to mind."

The captain nodded, "Yeah, definitely. Good luck."

* * *

The team reassembled at their desks.

"McGee, run some more background checks on the Captain. See who he might be associated with..."

"Already on it, Boss," said McGee typing away.

"Ziva, Tony - the Captain's going to take some time to get processed before leaving here and then he's going to be in town for a couple days. Make sure we know exactly what he'll be doing in town."

"Got it, Boss," said Tony getting up to leave with his gear with Ziva doing the same.

At the silence, Gibbs and McGee looked at each other expectantly.

"No complaining?" asked McGee.

Ziva and Tony looked at each other.

It was Tony for the save, "Probie, thanks for that excellent distraction so that I could say - dibbs on driving!"

Ziva glowered as they bickered toward the elevators.

"If you drove, he's going to spot us before we even start."

"But if he gets away in case anything happens, you will lose him."

"Oh...really?"

"Yes, really!"

"Maybe I just care that I bring a car back in one piece..."

The elevator doors closed behind them and they breathed a sigh of relief.

After a bit of a silence, Tony said, "I never thought I'd have to say this, but...we should really work on that."

Ziva laughed out loud and gave his hand a quick squeeze before letting go.

* * *

End of Chapter! Feedback appreciated!


	14. Chapter 14 - Capturing Moments

**Gone (and Swept Away)**  
Chapter 14 - Capturing Moments  
By Taygeta

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**Author's Note**: Finally had some time to get to this. You're gonna either love or hate where this one goes... :)

* * *

They had been keeping track of Captain Gomez for the last few days. He had put in for shore leave when he was brought in for questioning. At first he seemed to be just hanging out with friends in D.C., but on one of these outings, Ziva and Tony were at the bar undercover as regular patrons.

"Did you see that?" she whispered in his ear, playfully being a flirty couple at the end of the bar.

"See what, sweet cheeks?" he asked, glancing over at Captain Gomez and his friends.

"Envelope across the bar to that guy over there – the one with beard."

They watched as a large man with a beard laughed jovially, meanwhile slipping an envelope into his jacket. He had ear piercings and was dressed in fashionable, but wrinkled clothes. He wore them awkwardly, but he had a menacing quality you wouldn't want to mess with that made up for the awkward way the clothes didn't quite fit. Tony thought he resembled a pirate.

"Hmm…that's not your average bar transaction," said Tony, finding it a bit difficult to pay attention with a certain partner so close to him. But professionalism always won out. "I think we should say hello after Blackbeard decides it's time to leave."

"I think that sounds like an excellent idea."

At that moment, a slightly drunk businessman with strategically tousled blonde hair "bumped" into Tony, who had his arm around Ziva.

"What are you doing with this guy?" he said, giving Tony a look over. "You could be doing so much better."

Ziva raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Oh yeah," he said. "I bet he could barely afford to buy you a drink. I know a cheap suit when I see one."

"Hey, buddy – " Tony began.

"Hey buddy," the guy echoed and then added in a lower voice, "You guys blow my cover and take in my suspect, and this scene is going get worse."

Ziva's eyes squinted, "Who are you?"

Before they could get an answer, they saw the man move away with a "Your loss, babe."

They watched as the stranger walked over to Blackbeard and started making jokes with him and Captain Gomez, who seemed to welcome him like an old friend.

"What should we do?" asked Tony.

"I don't know. How do we even know he is with an agency? No badge."

"Well, the rules of undercover aren't quite rock solid…"

"True."

An idea came to Tony.

"Sweet cheeks…?"

"Yes, darling?"

"We've had this crazy and wild whirlwind for a few months now and my mom's been asking for a picture of you."

Ziva without missing a beat said, "You know I'm shy about having my picture taken."

"But it's for my mother?"

"Well I do want her to like me."

They proceeded to take a bunch of "selfies" while really taking photos of the men behind them.

* * *

In the morning, they were in Abby's lab running I.D. checks.

"These are really cute photos of you two. I mean, the one's that were actually like coupley-photos for cover – not the ones where you're both squashed in the corner while trying to get photos of the guys behind you," said Abby as the computer ran a scan behind her. "Like super cute."

"Thank you. I've been working on my selfie skills," said Tony proudly, while really aiming to move the conversation away from cute couple photos.

"Obviously, they're cute because of you and not because of me," said Ziva with a slight annoyed edge to her voice. She rolled her eyes and clarified to Abby, "At some point the couple next to us got tired of us taking so many 'terrible' photos and decided to help us out – you know, so that I could impress his mother with a good photo."

"Need to work on your 'selfie skills', Dinozzo?" said Gibbs as he walked into the lab, holding his trademark cup of coffee.

"Boss – I – I didn't even know you knew what a 'selfie' was," Tony frowned.

Gibbs ignored the comment, "Abby, any luck on the I.D.'s?"

"Still waiting on the so-called agent undercover," she replied. "But I got a match on the guy with the beard – Xavier Hunter."

"Xavier Hunter," said Tony. "Known contract killer – he's done a couple of years time, but has primarily been able to skirt the law. Overall big bully bad guy and he could be our guy…at least in terms of making the hit."

"Is that enough to bring Captain Gomez back in?" asked Abby.

Gibbs shook his head, "We don't know what was in the envelope."

"Could have been a get well soon card for all we know," Tony couldn't help but add.

"Can we bring Xavier in for questioning at least?" asked Ziva.

"Not until we figure out who that other guy is and what exactly he's investigating…if anything at all."

"Well the computer's searching as fast as it can," said Abby, "But depending on what he's working on, he might not even be in the system…and that is where McGee would need to come in."

"Where is McGee?" asked Ziva.

"I asked him to follow up on a couple of interviews," said Gibbs.

Something about that made Ziva and Tony glance at each other, wondering if Adi was involved at all.

"Is that something we can help out with?" asked Tony.

"Nope. He's got it covered," said Gibbs, taking a swig of coffee. "Meanwhile, let's get some more information on this Xavier Hunter…see how he might be tied to Captain Gomez."

"Right on it, Boss," said Tony.

* * *

Later in Ziva's apartment, he and Ziva brought up the subject of Adi over dinner. Ziva had volunteered to cook – having had one too many take-out nights.

"You don't think we've been blind?" she asked as helped herself to some salad. "That maybe Adi might be involved or withholding something?"

"No," said Tony as he handed her a plate of pasta. "What could she possibly be involved in?"

"I'm not sure – perhaps that is part of the problem. We ran a routine background check, it confirmed what we knew about her from Shmiel, but maybe we stopped too early in our search…because of Shmiel?"

"The Shmiel Effect?"

"She is the love of his life. She is who he has talked about all these years," Ziva said with a sigh. "Perhaps I have been influenced by that."

"And what about me?" said Tony. "I met him once."

"And you are now frequent exchangers of email, yes?"

Tony pursed his lips, "Maybe…"

"Well then, good thing we have McGee," she said, and then added, "…and Gibbs."

"That's what a good team does," replied Tony, "like how Abby was kind enough to give me a digital file so I could print this picture."

Ziva frowned as Tony handed her a photo that was resting on the table. She smiled as she saw it was one of the photos from the bar – specifically the one taken by the two bar patrons who had gotten tired of seeing them take bad photos of themselves.

"Do you think your mother would have liked it?"

"If my father's opinion of you is any indication, I'm pretty sure there's not much doubt there." He leaned his hand over hers on the table.

She smiled looking at him before glancing back at the picture, "What did Abby tell you when you asked about wanting a photo?"

Tony's eyebrows raised, "Well…I think her exact words were a very quick and happy, 'of course,' followed by a 'you realize that you should probably make a move eventually…right?'"

Ziva's eyes widened, "What did you say?"

"I did what I do best – feign ignorance."

"What was your excuse for wanting the photo?"

"Naturally, I said I looked amazing," said Tony.

Ziva removed her hand from underneath his and began to fiddle with her salad.

"I'm just kidding," he said. "I said you looked really nice and it would be nice to have it. And she did her wide red-lipstick Abby grin of mystery and gave me the file."

Her hand returned to his, still resting on the table, and she curled her fingers into his, "How long do you think we need to hide this?"

"I wish we didn't have to," he said. "It's no one's business but our own."

"But it does affect work, Tony," she said. "It can."

"But it won't." He met her eyes and continued, " Listen…if caring about you is going to be a bad thing for our jobs then I should have gotten fired a long time ago."

The weight of their history suddenly surfaced between them – a memory of all those moments of saving and protecting each other over the years, like a slow flame and plenty of heat dancing across time.

It all brought them to this moment - this flicker.

Suddenly, the dinner that began was never really started.

The dining room was forgotten, abandoned for the bedroom.

* * *

End Chapter. Feedback appreciated.


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